


The Promise

by the_7_percent_solution



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Post-Season/Series 03, Sad Sherlock, Supportive John, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-08-03
Packaged: 2018-07-29 01:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7665202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_7_percent_solution/pseuds/the_7_percent_solution
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his brother's passing, Sherlock isn't feeling like himself.  John urges him to face his feelings like a soldier.  But Sherlock doesn't want to be "Sherlock Holmes: The Brain Without a Heart" anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Promise

“Sherlock, this is not you, none of it - this is not the man I know, this is not the man I-” John stops before he can finish his thought. Sherlock has grown tired and fragile over the past month ever since Mycroft’s passing, however John never suspected Sherlock would take the news with this difficulty. Sherlock stopped shaving, he stopped sleeping. He’s an older man now, his body doesn’t recover from all-nighters like it used to. After weeks of Sherlock carrying on as if nothing is wrong, John cannot stop himself from pleading. 

“Sherlock, are you listening to me? Please, go home, get some sleep. You’re not yourself these days.”

Sherlock, filled to the brim with emotions he’s worked his whole adult life to control, cannot mask his hurt and betrayal.

“’Not myself’? Tell me, John, what exactly should I be doing to be more like ‘myself’?” 

“Well,” John stutters, “you could fix up with a wash and a long-overdue shave”.

“Is that what it takes to be Sherlock Holmes?”

“It’s a bloody good start.”

“No, John, I will not go home and fix myself. I do not want to be Sherlock Holmes right now.” 

“What are you talking about? What’s the matter with you?”

“Why must always something be the matter with me? What about you? You’ve put on 6 pounds this summer, which makes the grand total 15 since you got married last year. You don’t hear me begging you to be the John Watson I know!”

“Stop it, Sherlock, just stop. Why don’t you want to be Sherlock Holmes anymore? He’s pretty extraordinary when he’s not being an annoying prick.”

“I am not extraordinary!” Sherlock spits like venom. “I… I’m just ordinary. I don’t want to be Sherlock Holmes right now. I don’t want to be the clever detective in the silly hat. Please. Understand.” Sherlock’s eyes well and he turns from John to blink the moisture away. John, stunned, gathers everything he’s just heard and reaches for Sherlock’s wrist. He lowers his voice, soothingly. 

“You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes if you don’t want to. You’re human, you’re flesh and blood. You are just like everybody else.”

Sherlock cannot stop the tears from running down his face. He’s sure John will leave now that he’s seen what Sherlock is really like, now that John know’s he’s ordinary. He knew this day would come sooner or later, the day John Watson loses all interest in his companionship with Sherlock Holmes. 

“Come on, let’s go home,” John says, still holding onto Sherlock’s forearm. “We’ll clean you up, I’ll make that dish with peas you’re always raving about. We can even watch some crap telly. I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I’m a doctor and only a fool argues with his doctor. Come on.”

John walks to the curb to hail a cab. Sherlock remains motionless. As a cab pulls up to John, Sherlock walks over and breathes his name making John turn around silently. Before he knows what’s happening Sherlock envelops him in a gigantic hug, leaving the side of John’s face wet with tears. 

“Oh Sherlock,” John hushes. “It’s alright. Everything’s alright. Let’s go home; I’ll stay until you give the word.”

Sherlock sniffles into John’s shoulder. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

John opens the cab door and they climb inside. “221 Baker Street,” he smiles to the driver as he settles in. Sherlock’s gaze is fixed on the passing scenery outside his window but John’s is fixed on Sherlock. Nothing matters more in this moment than making sure his best friend is alright. He’ll deal with Mary later. He’ll take off work tomorrow. John will not break his promise.


End file.
